ARMED FORCES

Hokitika Guardian, 7 September 1929, Page 3

ARMED FORCES

POSITION IN AMERICA. PRESIDENT HOOVER’S. PROGRAMME. SAN FRANCISCO, July 27. Obviously influenced by the attitude of the Labour Government of Great Britain President Hoover has shown his hand toward curtailing the great expenditure of the United States in Uncle Sam’s upkeep of the army and navy, and with American expeiulitrires for purely military purposes, exceeding those of any nation in the world, President Hoover has announced a general programme for curtailing these outlays to the lowest point that will produce an adequate national defence.

As an important result the chief executive hopes a reduction hi taxes can be effeected. The estimated military disbursements of the next four years lie regards as the greatest obstacle in the way of a cut in the Federal tax schedules. Through a new Internationa agreement on naval arms Hoover hopes to reduce the cost of maintaining American sea forces, and as a means of slashing army costs lie plans to establish a commission of leading army officers within the general staff to determine where saving can be made. President Hoover regards the pre sent time as particularly propitious for a move of tin’s character. The Kellogg Treaty, which has just become effective, he believes has had an important bearing upon American foreign relations. The present lie said holds less threat of war than any time in more than half a century.

The President’s views were made public in Washington in extensive com ment upon the situation *made in reply to the questions of newspaper correspondents at the semi-weekly Press conference,;

Prefacing his remarks with a statistical outline of the situation, Hoover declared expenditures for purely military purposes constitute one-half of tlm increase ein Federal disbursements estimated 'for the next four years. Under the estimates, lie said, America will spend 803.000,000 dollars upon" military activities in the fiscal year 1933 an increase of 1°0,000.000 dollars over the fiscal year just closed and 224,000.000 dollars over the fiscal year 1925.

The figure estimated for 1933 is, lie continued ,an increase of 530 million dollars above the average pre-war expenditure for military purposes. These estimates do not include pensions and compensations to" yeterpis'!pt'j?,sjsb wavs an item estimated in itself ’of 820 million dollars annually. LARGEST IN THE WORLD. / With particular emphasis Hoover declared “the American, people should understand current expenditure. on strictly military activities of the army and navy constitutes the largest military budget of any nation in the world to-day, and at a time when there is less real danger of extensive disturbance to peace than at any time in more than half a century.”

The hope of tax reduction, lie added, “ lies in large degree in our ability to economise on the military and naval expenditure and still maintain adequate defence.” Coming to an outline of his scheme tor bringing about reductions President Hoover said he hopes “to materially ” oh naval expenditures by effecting a new international naval reduction agreement. While this is ponding, naval authorities believe it will be impossible to effect any widespread reduction in the cost of navy. “ Constructive and not destructive investigation,” of army activities was announced by the President as his means of finding ways to reduce the expense oif this branch of national defence. The investigation would: be pursued by a commission of leading army officers within the general staff, who would consider the entire army programme, determine “ what services and other outlays have become obsolete through advancement of space and war methods, and what development programme can be well spread over longei' periods in view of the general world outlook, and at the same time maintain completely adequate preparedness.” It was made clear that the naval estimates running over 1931-32 and 1933 included * any replacements of capital ships which might be necessary during those years under the Washington Naval Treaty. _ Should the conference to be held in 1931 decide upon further reductions in the principal, powers, some saving would be made, as the estimates for the capital ships . amount to about 30,000,000 dollftrs annually. Official estimates of the French arid British expenditures for defence, including army, navy and air for 1929-30, amount to 574,284,600 dollars in the case of the United Kingdom, and in the case of France for 1929 to 523,241,600 dollars, it Was stated. The actual expenditures made by Great Britain for 1928-29 for all national defence amounted to 551,464,200 dollars.

The President’s., action generated conflicting opinions on Capital Hill. Chairman Peed of the Senate Military Affairs Committee declared be did not think there could “ be much reduction without hurting.efficiency,” and added that the army had been “ working constantly to keep down its costs.” “Of course,” he said, “we spend more than other countries, for we pay our srtldidrs better arid crive them better rations than any other country.”